Sam McCard
President
South Georgia Banking Company, Tifton
South Group Rep., BankPAC Board of Directors
Q: What was your first job, and was there a lesson you learned there that you still use today?
A: My first job was with Calhoun Produce in Turner County working on the farms and in the produce business. That job helped me understand what responsibility means and how others depend on you when you do certain jobs. I have been blessed to work with servant leaders, and servant leadership is a trait I hold true to today at South Georgia Banking Company.
Q: What was the most useful piece of advice you received from a mentor (or in the early/formative years of your career)?
A: The two best pieces of advice I received early on in my career that have stuck with me are - 1. Be kind to people and 2. If you are going to do a job, do it right.
Q: Tell us about one experience you’ve had that exemplifies being a banker.
A: Trying to make others successful is important to me, whether it’s one of our team members, that small business that we helped during Covid or the family that we helped pass on the family business to. That’s a daily reminder of what we do and why we do it.
Q: What is the hardest part about your job?
A: The most challenging part of my job is being a visionary and figuring out where do we go from today. Our business changes so rapidly that I must always think in the long term. Culture is important to me, and I’m constantly working on building the right culture that connects with our team members and our business model. In turn, this helps make the communities we serve better. The target continues to move, and we try to keep that target always in mind.
Q: First tap/click of the day?
A: My first click of the day is reviewing the ABA articles of interest and trying to finish anything left over from the day before.
Q: When you’re not on the job at the bank, what do you like to do?
A: I love spending time with my family and going to the kids’ sporting events. We also love to travel.